Non-refillable bottle.



G. E. HAGER.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

APPLICATION men MAY 8, 1916.

@51 114).) (J2me A,

. Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

GEORGE E. HAGER, 0E BROOKLYN, NEW YoEK.

NON-BEFILLABLE BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. i3, 191?.

Application filed May 8, 1916. Serial No. 96,083.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HAGER, a citizen of the'United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-Refillable Bottles, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to non-refillable bottles, and the objects of the invention are to provide a stopper construction which will prevent refilling of the bottle and will indicate, without fail, attempts to tamper with the parts of the stopper.

Other objects of the invention are to secure a stopper construction which can be applied to bottles of different sizes and for different liquids, without change in the design of the stopper, and will enable the flow of any liquid to be regulated, as desired. The parts may be made of any suitable material, preferably porcelain, and my inven' tion is especially designed to guard against refilling by the usual means of a vacuum, a force pump, immersion, the floating process, drilling, boring, wire devices, adhesive sand or emery, the overflow process, syringes, large or small, and gravity. 7

My invention is based on the two valve principle, but in order to guard against the usual methods of refilling named, and others, I have designed the valves, valve seats, and cooperating parts, in a novel manner, andinclosed all the said operative and cooperative parts in a protective cap or cover, which is free and independent of said parts and is provided with an elongated spout of special construction.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the neck of a bottle provided with my non-refillable stopper construction;

In Figs. 2 to 8 perspective views of the portions of the stopper are shown separated, but arranged in'proper order to be assembled as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lower valve seat;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lower disk valve;

Fig. I is a perspective view of the weight;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sepa rator or cylinder;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the upper valve seat;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the upper disk valve; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper disk cap.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the neck of a bottle having the flange a, which should preferably have squared or sharp edges, and B is a cap or cover, preferably of porcelain, which is adapted to be placed over the inner parts of the stopper construction when they are assembled. lhis cover 13 is preferably provided with a similar flange Z) and is fastened to the bottle neck by suitable means, as for instance a metal collar or rim D of substantial thickness, so that any attempt to pry off the collar or otherwise-tamper with the collar to remove .the cap, as by means of acid or heat, will chip or injure one or both flanges a and b and otherwise leave indicating marks showing that the stopper has been tampered with. The name on the band or rim D might be obliterated or defaced, for instance, by such means.

The cover B, as shown, is provided with an elongated spout or neck C of smaller bore than the valve openings in the stopper construction. For an ordinary bottle, the spout would be about 1 inches long, while for alarger bottle it would be about 1g, inches long. The bore or opening of the spout C should always be a little less than one-half the diameter of the opening in the lower valve seat E, for reasons hereinafter to appear. V

The lower valve seat E is in the form of a hollow plug projecting into the bottle neck and having a thin cork washer 0 around the same, so that the bottle cannot be filled by boring a hole through the band or rim 1). The inside of the valve seat E is beveled at (Z to a thin edge at the inside of the bottle, to facilitate pouring.

The enlarged head 6 of the valve seat or plug E is provided with a rim f, a shoulder g and a hollowed or cup-shaped portion h forming a seat for the disk valve F, which has a rim j cooperating with the shoulder g and a convex body portion is adapted to seat in the concave or cup-shaped portion h ofthe valve seat E. The diameter of the disk valve F across the rim 7' should be such that the rim fits loosely in rim 7 of the seat E to insure proper action when the bottle 1s tipped up for emptying its contents. convex portion 71; of the disk valve F should fit snugly in the concave portion h of the The 'Qis almost at the breaking point, and it w1ll reslst a pressure of one-eighth of a pound to the square inch, or less, and hence will stand the pressures obtalning 1n the valve seat, the two surfaces being formed'oi' iTsiia-l uses of the bottle, since it has no work ground to substantially exactly. The valve F will close when the bottle is upright, or at an angle, due to the shape and the cooperating shoulder 51 and rim j. The valve also tends to center itself properly. The valve opens when the bottle is tilted to pour out the contents, and the flow can be regulated, as desired.

Resting upon the flange f of the valve seat E, is a separator in the form of a cylinder G having longitudinally extending ribs H and grooves H. The ribs H do not extend all the way to the lower edge of the cylinder G, so that spaces J are left between the lower ends of the ribs and the valve F, to permit the valve to open when the bottle is tilted. The amount of space provided at J determines the rate of flow of the liquid. The grooves H allow the contents of the bottle to flow out through the cylinder G.

Upon the valve F rests a hollow weight K of slightly smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the cylinder G. The weight is shorter than the height of the cylinder G, so that it may move longitudinally in the cylinder, and this weight is provided as shown with prongs L, which afford passages between the prongs to permit the contents of the bottle to pass out.

The upper valve seat 0 rests upon the upper end of the separating cylinder G and its central opening is preferably smaller than the opening in the valve seat E, but larger than the bore of the nozzle or spout C. The object of this construction is to produce an evenly graduated flow of the liquid.

The valve seat 0 is constructed similarly to valve seat E, inasmuch as it is provided with a rim f, a shoulder g and a concave seating portion it, adapted to receive the upper disk valve P having the rim j and the convex portion is. The upper disk valve P is slightly smaller and lighter than the lower valve F, but is of substantially the same shape and construction. 7

The disk cap Q of special construction rests upon the rim of the valve seat U and as shown is formed with a central dividing flat body portion Q and undercut legs R recessed at T to permit the valve P to open. The disk cap is also provided with upward projections S which are adapted to abut against the underside of the cap or cover B.

The disk cap Q is an important part of the invention. The dividing portion or partition Q is comparatively thin and is furto perform. If the bottle is tampered with, as by an attempt to refill the bottle by force or pressure, the increased pressure on the portion Q will cause it to break along the grooves 0 or p and the broken portions falling on the upper valve P, will effectually close that valve and prevent refilling. F urthermore, the stopper shows at once that it has been tampered with.

The elongated spout C of the cap B plays an important part in the invention, for several reasons. The contracted bore of the spout causes increased pressure on the partition or portion Q of thedisk cap Q, if an attempt is made to fill the bottle by the use of pressure, and insures the breaking of the part Q. If the floating or self-filling method is attempted to be used, the spout will choke, as it will not allow air to enter. If the spout is filled with water or other liquid and a force pump is used, the part Q of the disk cap will be broken. The spout also aids in preventing the filling of the bottle by means of a vacuum, since it increases the difficulty of drawing air out of the bottle equipped with my improved non-refillable stopper construction.

It will be observed that the cap or cover B protects and holds all the parts of the stopper in assembled form, and this cover using a force pump, either with or without the provision of an overflow, the breakable portion Q of disk cap Q will be broken before the refilling liquid can even reach the valve F.

The weight K should be so chosen with due regard to the size of the bottle and the material of which the stopper parts are made, that it will not be either too heavy or too light. If the weight is too heavy, the liquid will not pour freely, but pouring will be accomplished with jerky motions. If the weight is too light. it will not drop back upon the valve F quickly enough when an attempt is made to refill the bottle.

The upper disk valve P, like the lower valve F, cannot be reached either by means of wires, bristles or hairs, owing to the long spout C and the offset below the spout. In tryng to refill the bottle by any method, the valve P closes quickly. If some liquid should be passed around valve 1? in trying to refill the bottle, the valve F would automatically close and remain closed, so that refilling is prevented. Owing to the flat disk valve construction, the size and proportions of the valves and openings in the valve seats, and the movable weight K, it is not possible to set the valves in vibration in such a Way as to permit refilling. Neither is it possible to maintain both valves open at the same time or force liquid past both valves in attempting to refill by any method known to me.

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

1. In combination with a bottle, a nonrefillable stopper construction, comprising inner and outer hollow concave cup-shaped valve seats, the inner seat adapted to fit the neck of the bottle and the outer seat located beyond the neck of the bottle, each seat havweight adapted to rest loosely upon the inner valve and means for protecting the outer valve.

2. In combination with a bottle, a nonrefillable stopper construction, comprising inner and outer hollow concave cup-shaped valve seats, the inner seat adapted to fit the neck of the bottle and the outer seat located beyond the neck of the bottle, each seat having a rim and a shoulder within the rim, a separating cylinder mounted on the rim of the inner valve seat and having interior longitudinal ribs extending through out a portion of the length of the cylinder, to permit free play of the valve, fiat disk valves, each having a rim and a rounded convex portion cooperating with the valve seats, a hollow weight resting on the inner valve and having prongs at its outer end, and a disk cap comprising a dividing plate or body having legs at each side, said disk cap resting on the rim of the outer valve seat, and afiording play for the outer valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. HAGER. Witnesses:

ZELLA Is'rEL, A. C. PARHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

